Goodbyes
by zizza24
Summary: My take on what happened after Vance splits the team in Judgement Day. Takes place right after he gives the team the news. I do not own NCIS but I own my own ideas.


The room was silent. Ziva looked from Tony's face to McGee's to Gibbs' and back to Vance. She was hoping, PRAYING, everything she had just heard was a dream. In fact if she was being honest with herself, she had been praying for the last week that everything was a dream. That any minute, she'd actually wake up to the sun shining in DC and be able to go into work and see Jenny standing up near MTAC talking to Gibbs.

But she knew it was reality as she was handed a white envelope, opening it to find flight confirmation to Tel Aviv. Reality was confirmed once again when Tony was handed a similar envelope and McGee was given a large yellow envelope, most likely holding information he'd need for his new job.

She felt the tears burning as they exited Director Vance's office, willing herself to keep herself from crying in front of everyone. She knew she couldn't stay with NCIS forever, that her future was in Mossad, but she had grown so close to the team, she considered them family at this point.

And she knew well enough leaving family was never easy.

The goodbyes started with Ducky and Palmer. It wasn't much, just a hug and a "Write us soon. We'll miss you Ziva." Ziva was no good at goodbyes, so she didn't mind something so short and sweet.

Next was Gibbs. She wasn't expecting much, seeing as Gibbs barely said more than 100 words to her in one day. But when he pressed a soft kiss to her cheek and then whispered, "Be safe, Ziver," in her ear, she knew this could be the hardest flight she's ever been through.

As she stepped onto the elevator with McGee, Tony and Abby, she knew the rest of her goodbyes would not be any easier. The ride down was silent, as was her drive to the small bar they all decided to share their last dinner together at. They sat at the small table, bottles of beer sitting on the table, Tony's and Ziva's going untouched.

"You guys cannot leave. I won't let Vance ship you off. It's not fair!" Abby had yet to hide her anger towards the entire situation. From the moment they sat down, she hadn't stopped.

Tony leaned on the table, finally picking the bottle up and pressing it to his lips. "Abby, come on. His mind is set."

"But he shouldn't do this! This isn't right. Ziva belongs here, with our team. And you've been with Gibbs for seven years now!"

"Abby!" Tony and Ziva shouted in unison and heads turned from all ends of the bar.

Abby sat back in her seat and Ziva was quick to apologize. "I am sorry Abby. I didn't mean to yell." As Abby lifted her head, Ziva noticed there were tears running down her cheeks. "Abby, do not cry."

"But how can I not?" she asked as she wiped at her face. "He can't take you guys away from your home. You belong here. Both of you."

Ziva felt a smile creep onto her face. It was her home.

But so was Tel Aviv.

"Abby, just drop it. Vance made this decision and we have to go with it," Tony said and Ziva stared at him. "Besides, maybe it's just temporary."

Abby shrugged as they went back to sitting in silence, the rest of the meal made up of only a few words. They each paid their way and stepped outside into the brisk night, a chill in the air. Ziva stood in front of Abby, smiles on their lips and tears in their eyes. "I'm gonna miss you so much," Abby said before pulling Ziva into the biggest hug, a laugh escaping from Ziva's mouth. She wrapped her arms around her friend, and just held her, not knowing when she could do it again.

They separated in time to see McGee and Tony exchanging a brotherly hand shake which turned into a hug, followed by a light slap to the back of McGee's head. Ziva watched as Tony pulled Abby into a hug, whispering something into her ear. As she watched, McGee stood in front of her. "I'm going to miss you Ziva."

"McGee, just promise you'll take care of Abby. She's going to need it," Ziva said before hugging him, holding him tight for seconds she'd never trade in.

To anyone on the street, this would appear as friends saying goodbye for a few months, but not forever. But Ziva couldn't help but think this was forever. She couldn't help but think this might be the last time she'd see Abby and McGee and Tony.

Finally, she stood in front of Tony, not knowing where to even start. "I'll miss you, Tony."

He smiled. "Be careful, Ziva." And then he pulled her into a hug, one she was sure to never let go of. He pulled away, the smile still there, and suddenly, they were all leaving for their cars. This was it. As of this moment, she was no longer a liaison officer. She was now strictly a Mossad agent on her way home to Tel Aviv.

_Home. _She wasn't quite sure that word would ever have the same meaning for her anymore. As she slowly slid into the front seat of her car, the tears began to fall, heavily. This wasn't what she wanted anymore. She didn't want to return home. Sure, she had wanted it not long after she was assigned to Team Gibbs, but now, she knew this was where she belonged. Ziva struck the steering wheel as she started the car, slowly pulling out of her parking spot and heading to her apartment, ready to spend the rest of her night packing.

Once she entered, she headed straight for the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine, figuring a little bit of alcohol might help take the edge off of this terrible day. She turned the radio on, not really sure what was playing but it would suffice. Then, she headed into her bedroom to start packing things she'd need first. Luckily, she didn't leave until tomorrow night, so she'd have plenty of time to get almost everything packed.

But her packing was quickly interrupted by someone knocking at the door. She exited her room and walked towards the door, swinging it open, not even checking through the peep hole.

"Tony," she said, surprised to see him.

He smiled. "Hey."

"What are you doing here?" she asked as she moved aside, giving him room to enter the apartment, still in the same clothes from Jenny's funeral and from dinner. She looked down and then realized she too was still wearing her black dress.

"I didn't want to leave tomorrow without a proper goodbye."

She watched as he made his way into the kitchen, pouring his own glass of wine, maneuvering like he had been in that kitchen a million times before. "A proper goodbye?" she asked. "We said goodbye at the bar."

He smiled and took a sip of the wine. "You thought a simple hug and a 'See you soon' were going to be enough?"

"No, but when I saw you were leaving, I thought that was it."

"Do you want to know why I just left?" he asked and then sat down on the couch, Ziva sitting next to him, tucking her legs underneath her. "I didn't want to believe that in 24 hours from that moment, I'd be living on a ship, possibly permanently. I didn't want to believe that you'd be half a world away, instead of a short, five minutes."

She continued to listen, not sure of how to respond just yet. "I always knew in the back of my mind I couldn't work for Gibbs the rest of my life. I just didn't know the time to move on would come so soon."

Ziva set her glass down on the table and continued to watch him. "Tony, this is not goodbye. Goodbye means never seeing someone again. It means losing touch, losing what you had with someone."

"You don't think that's going to happen?" he questioned, setting his glass next to hers. "Vance seemed to have his mind made up."

She shook her head. "He can't keep you on the ships forever. Gibbs will not allow it."

"I don't think even Gibbs has a say in this, Ziva."

She remained speechless, watching him as he stood up again, heading for the door. "I should go. I have a lot of packing to do before my flight tomorrow." She stood up and followed him to the door.

"You know, I've never been good at goodbyes," Ziva said, tears burning again.

He smiled and put a finger over her lips. "Then don't say it." Then he moved his finger and pressed a kiss to her lips, a simple, sweet kiss. She pulled away, trying to distance herself before it became impossible, but he wouldn't let her. He pulled her in for a heavier kiss, just like what they had shared under cover. He walked her backwards, trying to pull at her dress, as she talked into his lips.

"I thought you needed to pack."

"It can wait," he said as her dress dropped to the floor and he laid her back on the couch. He kissed her harder, kisses trailing down her neck, as she pulled his jacket off and started working on the buttons.

She threw his shirt and jacket to the floor and then asked, against his lips again, "Aren't we breaking Rule 12?"

He couldn't help but laugh. "Since we're no longer co-workers, I'd say no."

He kissed her again, softly, sweetly, and yet passionately. She wasn't sure this was the best thing for their friendship, but she was certain it was the best goodbye she had ever been a part of. And Tony was right; they were no longer breaking Rule 12.

The next morning, she woke up to the sun shining through her large living room window into her eyes. She stirred for a moment before sitting up, just as the bathroom door swung open. Tony was exiting, buttoning his white shirt, a large smile on his face. She pulled the blanket closer to her body as he sat down very close to her.

"I have to go. My flight leaves in three hours."

She smiled. "And you have nothing packed."

He laughed lightly. "That is correct. And you don't either." He grabbed her hand and linked their fingers. "Just be careful, Ziva. Because on the slight chance we're asked to return to NCIS, I want us both to actually be able to return."

"Of course, Tony." And she pressed one more kiss to his lips before he grabbed his jacket and left, walking out of her apartment, but never out of her life.


End file.
